It's that scary, spooky time of the year again. We wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't include a post about Halloween hazards. Dr. Bill recently put together the Top Halloween Pet Hazards - including the admonition about chocolate.
Really, don't we all know this by now: chocolate is toxic to dogs. A bag of great tasting goodies from the chocolate family might be mouth-watering for us (including our dogs), but it's best to keep that bag of goodies far, far from Fido's reach. If this is news to you, I'm glad I could share it. Don't even be tempted to share that chocolate with your dog. Give him or her a nice doggie treat, instead.
Here are three other Halloween hazards, compliments of Dr. Bill, which you may not have thought of:
Halloween Ingestion - It only takes seconds for pieces of Halloween costumes, candy wrappers, or lollipop sticks to become lodged in a curious pet's throat, perforate the stomach or bowels, or obstruct and irritate the digestive system. (Ouch! imagine the worry of wondering how Fido is doing, if this happened to your dog!)
Halloween Burns - Whiskers and tails are easily burned by Halloween candles and Jack-o-lanterns. Keep Halloween light cords out of chewing range to avoid electrocution. (Wabby likes to chew cords, so I can relate to this - I'm glad Dr. Bill brought this up because I admit that while I'm diligent about shooing her away from cords, I know now that I need to cover them up and keep them out of reach).
Halloween Stress - Pets can become stressed and aggressive from constant doorbell ringing, strangers, unfamiliar costumes, and loud voices. This can create unexpected situations that lead to severe injuries. Keep your pets at home and in a quiet, safe place.
This is something we often miss because we forget that our dogs and cats can't "think" the way we think, and really don't know what all the fuss is about. All of the dogs I've ever had disliked the doorbell ringing on Halloween. As for my Wabby, she just takes herself to the master bedroom and gets comfy on my pillow.
In closing, I'd like to quote Dr. Bill (he's the Chief Medical and Underwriting Director of PurinaCare® Pet Health Insurance, for those who are not familiar with him), "It only takes seconds for Halloween fun to turn into something truly scary for your pet. The cost for emergency veterinary care can range from a few hundred dollars for poisoning or minor burns to several thousand dollars if surgery is required for intestinal blockage, skin grafts or other severe injuries."
Keep your dog and cat happy, healthy and safe (and your wallet, too!) by sharing these hazards with everyone in the family.
Happy Boo Day!
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